TEAM GB star Will Calnan was struck in the face during the Paris Olympics hockey clash against India.
The Brits were taking on India in the quarter-finals as they aimed to make it to the last four.
However, the match took a turn less than 15 minutes into the second quarter as India’s Amit Rohidas was sent off.
The star was challenging Calnan for the ball when he lifted his stick and caught the Brit in the face.
Calnan fell to the floor and appeared in a decent amount of pain as he was checked on by his team-mates.
The official initially believed that the challenge would be health with a yellow card and 10-minute sin-bin.
But after review, it was decided that Rohidas had deliberately raised his stick to hit Calnan, and he was sent off for “serious misconduct”.
Former Team GB Olympian agreed with the decision to dismiss the Rohidas.
He told the BBC: “That is massive! Unfortunately, from those pictures, I have got to agree with that decision to give a red card.
“Amit Rohidas’ stick was in an unnatural position as it was raised.
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“I was looking to see if the sticks were hooked in some way and he was just pulling to release his stick.
“But it just looks awful and there is no reason for his stick to go up to that position.
Great Britain are level!
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 4, 2024
A scrappy goal but they all count! It's Lee Morton with his third goal of the games. #BBCOlympics #Olympics #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/4rkmu1Z8sv
“This fundamentally shifts the whole momentum of the game.”
Despite India going down to ten men, they managed to break the deadlock.
India captain Harmanpreet Singh thumped his effort after an initial save from goalkeeper Ollie Payne.
However, Team GB did get themselves level through Lee Morton before half-time.
WHAT TO WATCH TODAY
TODAY’S BRIT MEDAL HOPES
Jake Jarman follows his floor final yesterday with today’s vault final – the Peterborough ace is the world champion (3.25pm) while Becky Downie goes in the uneven bars (2.40pm).
Barcelona 1992 star Laura Fry’s daughter Lottie will be desperate for a medal in the dressage grand prix freestyle individual (9am).
Tommy Fleetwood heads into the final round of the golf in bronze, one shot off leaders Jon Rahm and Tokyo winner Xander Schauffele (11.30am).
BRITS TO WATCH
Lizzie Deignan becomes the first female British cyclist to be selected for four Olympics and is one of four Team GB stars in the road race (1pm).
Amber Rutter goes for skeet gold (qualifying 8.30am, final 2.30pm) just four months after giving birth to her first child in April.
And it’s Team GB vs India in the men’s hockey quarter-final (9am) – a repeat of their clash in Tokyo which India won 3-1.
GLOBAL STARS TODAY
In a blockbuster men’s singles tennis final, Carlos Alcaraz is the only man standing between Novak Djokovic and the Career Golden Slam (1pm).
And it is arguably the biggest race of the entire athletics programme with the men’s 100m final (8.55pm) – Noah Lyles and Letsile Tebogo are among the favourites but Zharnel Hughes could threaten for GB.
FANCY SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
There is all sorts going on at the Marseille Marina in the sailing today.
We’ve got a bit of everything including mixed multihull, the dinghy and kite races.
STATS MAD
Little Fatty – Chinese table tennis sensation Zhendong Fan won silver in the men’s singles in Tokyo but can go one better in today’s final. His nickname is Xiao Pang which translates as ‘Little Fatty’ – bit harsh…
Follow all the action as it unfolds with our Paris 2024 Olympics LIVE blog.
